Florida Society of Association Executives

What Florida Society of Association Executives does

Florida Society of Association Executives (FSAE) is a Tallahassee-based nonprofit professional association founded in 1960 that serves association management professionals across Florida. Its mission is to connect, educate, and develop association executives, Association Management Company (AMC) staff, and the supplier partners that serve them. The organization offers a broad product portfolio: signature in-person events (Annual Conference at Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld, Women's Summit, Leadership & Management Summit, Membership & Marketing Summit, Education Expo, CEO Retreat, Meeting Planner Forum, Power Luncheons, CEO Roundtables), professional certification and executive education (CAE and CMP prep, the new QAS 2.0 Certificate Program, and the AE-MBA virtual 10-week program), a Digital Learning Platform / LMS, a Knowledge Hub content library, a Career Center job board, the bimonthly Source Magazine, the YEP Mentorship Program, and Foundation grants ($14,595 across 25 grants in 2026). Technology is delivered through a curated vendor stack: Novi AMS powers the website and Member Compass portal, Higher Logic underpins the Connected Community, and rasa.io runs AI-assisted email marketing.

FSAE operates on a diversified nonprofit revenue model combining recurring membership dues (Executive and Associate Supplier tiers, with organization-level seat management), pay-as-you-go event registration fees, paid certification and executive education programs, advertising and Premier Partner sponsorships (Visit Tampa Bay, SeaWorld, Renaissance Orlando, Caribe Royale, HighRoad Solutions, Novi AMS, and others), and Foundation grants and donations. GTM is community-led: 1,147 members (2025), 152 committee volunteers, 41 events with 2,013 attendees, 97 CAE and 19 CMP hours offered, and a state-wide Florida event footprint drive both member acquisition and retention. In 2025, the organization completed a website and database migration to Novi AMS, launched QAS 2.0, opened the FSAE Merch online store, and stood up the Foundation Online Auction. The Board of Directors (15 members) governs the organization, with a separate affiliated FSAE Foundation funding professional development grants. The most recent historical structural event is the January 2015 merger with the Tallahassee Society of Association Executives (TSAE).

Name

Florida Society of Association Executives

Legal name

Florida Society of Association Executives

Website

https://fsae.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FSAE is a Tallahassee-based nonprofit professional association serving Florida's association management professionals through signature events, CAE/CMP certification prep, the QAS 2.0 and AE-MBA programs, Foundation grants, and a member online community, with 1,147 members and 41 events in 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tallahassee, FL

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from individual association professionals and organizations. Dues vary by membership category (Executive Member vs. Associate Supplier). Organizations can purchase multiple seats. New members can get 3 months free.
2. Event Registration Fees: Registration fees for signature events including Annual Conference, Women's Summit, Leadership & Management Summit, Membership & Marketing Summit, Education Expo, CEO Retreat, Meeting Planner Forum, Power Luncheons, and CEO Roundtables. Tiered pricing by membership type with early-bird discounts.
3. Professional Certification Programs: Revenue from CAE and CMP certification preparation courses, QAS 2.0 Qualified Association Specialist Certificate Program ($295 member / $395 non-member), and AE-MBA Virtual Program ($995).
4. Sponsorship & Advertising: Corporate sponsors (Premier Partners, event sponsors) and advertising opportunities in Source Magazine, media kit placements, and event signage.
5. Foundation Grants & Donations: FSAE Foundation receives grant applications and donations from members and corporate partners to fund professional development grants awarded to members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

FSAE is a nonprofit professional membership association that serves association executives and staff in Florida through annual memberships, in-person conferences and summits, professional certification programs (CAE, CMP, QAS 2.0, AE-MBA), an online community, peer benchmarking resources, and grant funding administered through the FSAE Foundation. Members access programming through the Member Compass portal, an online community platform, and signature events held throughout the state.

Product overview

Florida Society of Association Executives operates as a professional association offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for association management professionals. The core offerings include signature events (Annual Conference, specialized summits), a Digital Learning Platform with LMS and QAS 2.0 certification, the Knowledge Hub for educational resources, and a Career Center for job postings. Professional development products include CAE and CMP certification preparation, the AE-MBA 10-week virtual MBA-style program, FSAE Foundation grants for funding, and a YEP Mentorship Program. Member engagement is supported through an Online Community (Connected Community), Source Magazine (bimonthly digital publication), and Novi AMS platform powering Member Compass for account management. The organization recently migrated to the Novi AMS association management system for website, membership, and event administration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Signature Events and Conferences Annual conferences and specialized summits (Annual Conference, Women's Summit, Leadership & Management Summit, Membership & Marketing Summit, Education Expo, CEO Retreat, Meeting Planner Forum) held throughout Florida for association professionals. Tiered registration pricing by membership type with early-bird discounts.
• FSAE Individual and Organizational Membership Annual membership program for association professionals (Executive tier) and supplier organizations (Associate Supplier tier), with organization-level seat management for team memberships. New members receive a 3-month free promotion.
• CAE Certification Preparation Program Certified Association Executive (CAE) certification support and preparation resources for association professionals seeking the CAE credential.
• CMP Certification Preparation Program Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certification support and preparation resources for association meeting and event professionals.
• QAS 2.0 Certificate Program Qualified Association Specialist 2.0 Certificate Program — a 13-hour CAE-certified virtual training program for association professionals. Members $295; Non-Members $395.
• AE-MBA Virtual Program Association Executive Master Business Academy — a 10-week virtual mini-MBA program for current and emerging C-Suite Association Executives focusing on leadership, management, and organizational growth. $995 per participant; $895 multiple-staff rate; grants available.
• Digital Learning Platform (LMS) Learning management system providing on-demand virtual education, webinars, and certification preparation courses (CAE/CMP/QAS 2.0) for association professionals.
• Connected Community Online Community Member-only online community platform providing peer networking, discussion forums, and resource sharing for FSAE association professionals.
• Knowledge Hub Digital library of free downloadable educational content, white papers, and resources covering association management best practices for FSAE members and the public.
• Career Center Job Board Job board platform enabling members and employers to post and find association management positions in Florida, serving both job seekers and hiring organizations.
• FSAE Foundation Grants Program Professional development funding program awarding grants for conference attendance, certification programs (CAE/CMP), AE-MBA, and specialized training for FSAE members. In 2026, 25 grants totaling $14,595 were awarded.
• YEP Mentorship Program 3-month mentorship initiative under the Young & Emerging Professionals (YEP) Committee connecting early-career professionals with seasoned association leaders for career guidance and professional development.
• Source Magazine Bimonthly digital magazine delivering industry insights, how-to articles, member profiles, and association management content exclusively for FSAE members.
• Compensation Survey Peer benchmarking survey and data resource providing compensation information for association professionals in Florida.
• FSAE Foundation Online Auction Online auction platform enabling members, non-members, and corporate partners to participate in fundraising for FSAE Foundation professional development grants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,147 members served in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered premier partner and core grant donor.

• Visit Tampa Baypremier partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerVisit Tampa Bay is listed as a Premier Partner of FSAE. As a destination marketing organization, they provide sponsorship support for FSAE events and receive visibility and brand exposure to Florida's association professional community.
• American Audio Visual, Inc.premier partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerAAV is listed as a Premier Partner of FSAE, providing audiovisual services and sponsorship support for FSAE events and conferences.
• St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches VCBpremier partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerSt. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau is a Premier Partner providing destination marketing and sponsorship for FSAE events.
• rasa.iopremier partnerTechnology or Integrationrasa.io is an AI-powered email newsletter platform listed as a Premier Partner. FSAE uses rasa.io for its email newsletter distribution and marketing automation.
• HighRoad Solutionspremier partnerTechnology or IntegrationHighRoad Solutions is a Premier Partner, likely providing association management or technology solutions to FSAE and its members.
• Pyramid Global Hospitalitypremier partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerPyramid Global Hospitality is a Premier Partner, providing hotel and hospitality services/sponsorship for FSAE events and member benefits.
• Higher Logicpremier partnerTechnology or IntegrationHigher Logic is a Premier Partner, providing online community platform technology. FSAE's online community (Connected Community) may be powered by or integrated with Higher Logic.
• SeaWorld Parks & Resorts Orlandopremier partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerSeaWorld Parks & Resorts Orlando is a Premier Partner and venue sponsor for FSAE's Annual Conference and other events, offering exclusive experiences and venue access.
• Novi AMSpremier partnerTechnology or IntegrationNovi AMS is the association management software provider powering FSAE's website, Member Compass portal, event registration, and membership management. FSAE migrated to Novi AMS in 2025. Novi AMS is also a grant donor to the FSAE Foundation.
• Caribe Royale Orlandopremier partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCaribe Royale Orlando is an all-suite resort and convention center (1,217 one-bedroom suites, 120 two-bedroom villas, 240,000+ sq ft meeting space) listed as a Premier Partner and venue for FSAE events including the 2026 Annual Conference Welcome Reception.
• Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorldpremier partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerRenaissance Orlando at SeaWorld is a Premier Partner and the primary venue for FSAE's 2026 Annual Conference (July 15-17, 2026), with over 200,000 sq ft of meeting space. Contact: Natalya Yakovleva (Senior Sales Executive) and Stacy Nunez.
• Naylor Association Solutionscore grant donorGTM or Marketing PartnerNaylor Association Solutions is a corporate partner and Communications Grant donor to the FSAE Foundation, providing grant funding for professional development of FSAE members.
• RBOA Digitally Driven Marketingcore grant donorGTM or Marketing PartnerRBOA Digitally Driven Marketing is a grant donor to the FSAE Foundation, funding professional development grants for association professionals.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Association Forum (formerly IL-GLASAE): Midwest-based association management society serving Chicago and surrounding association professionals. Operates with similar membership, events, and CAE/CMP programming structure as FSAE in a different regional market.
• Georgia Society of Association Executives (GSAE): State-level society serving Georgia's association management community. Offers similar membership tiers, annual conference, CAE/CMP resources, and certification support as FSAE in an adjacent Southeast geography.
• Illinois Society of Association Executives (ISAE): Midwest state society providing professional development, networking, and certification preparation for Illinois association professionals. Operates with a similar community-led GTM and event-driven revenue model as FSAE.
• California Society of Association Executives (CalSAE): California state society for association executives providing membership, events, education, and certification support. Comparable scope, mission, and community-led programming model to FSAE at larger scale.
• New York Society of Association Executives (NYSAE): State-level association society serving New York association professionals. Comparable structure with membership dues, annual conference, and certification programming targeted at the same association management audience.
• Texas Society of Association Executives (TSAE): State-level professional association serving Texas association executives with the same mission, membership model, certification prep, and signature event programming as FSAE—the most directly comparable peer by structure and scope.

Others

• Novi AMS: Association management software provider that powers FSAE's website, Member Compass portal, and event registration after the 2025 migration. Serves as an enabling technology partner in the association ecosystem rather than a direct competitor.
• Higher Logic: Online community and member engagement platform provider for associations. Listed as FSAE Premier Partner; functions as an enabling technology provider adjacent to FSAE's Connected Community platform.

Regional players

• Carolinas Society of Association Executives (CSAE): Regional society covering the Carolinas association community. Represents an adjacent regional model with overlapping association professional audience and similar programming structure, though operating in different geography than FSAE.

Broad incumbents

• American Society of Association Executives (ASAE): The national professional society for the association management field. Offers overlapping CAE certification, a larger annual conference, and research/resources that compete for the same association professional audience FSAE serves at the state level.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/florida-society-of-association-executives

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Florida Society of Association Executives